The Université de la terre is a unique European gathering dedicated to reflection, sharing, and debate to inspire action. Over the course of two days, it offers discoveries and exchanges open to all, addressing the major challenges we face for our planet, the living world, and social cohesion. The 2022 edition brought together 10,000 participants.
On March 14 and 15, 2025, the University celebrated its 20th anniversary under the theme “NATURE = FUTURE,” underlining what may seem obvious: the vital need for humanity to reconnect with nature, on which its very survival depends.
The “One Sustainable Health for All” Foundation co-organized four sessions focused on health:
- How much does our health depend on the health of our planet?
- Changing our lifestyles, healing humanity
- Mental health: a silent emergency, voices are starting to be heard
- Healing through food
Changing our lifestyles, healing humanity
Hosted by Edwige Coupez, this event brought together experts from various backgrounds: Raphaël AMAR, Medical and Marketing Director at ZEISS Meditec France; Sabrina GERVAIS, Vice-President of Apivia Macif Mutuelle; Blandine MELLOUET FORT, Public Health Physician; and Professor Daniel NIZRI, Honorary Inspector General of Social Affairs and Chair of the Monitoring Committee for PNNS 4.
From Curative to Preventive Care
Redirecting healthcare spending toward prevention has become a necessity. Today, 8.5% of GDP — equivalent to €235 billion — is dedicated to healthcare, but primarily to curative care, notes Sabrina Gervais with regret. Long-Term Illnesses (ALD) now affect 14 million people in France. “We have not fully measured the cocktail effect of exposure to pollutants,” she adds.
Public health can no longer focus solely on curative care: it is time to place prevention at the heart of healthcare strategies. This is the core objective of the National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS), which aims to reduce health inequalities by promoting better eating habits and regular physical activity. “The nutritional guidelines of the PNNS are followed by only 20% to 40% of the population, and even less so by men compared to women,” highlights Professor Daniel Nizri.
The epidemic of overweight and obesity, exacerbated by sedentary lifestyles and poor diets, was starkly exposed during the Covid-19 crisis, during which 40% of the 200,000 deaths involved overweight or obese individuals. At the same time, 2 million people in France suffer from undernutrition, particularly the elderly, which accelerates their loss of autonomy.
Creating a Living Environment That Supports Health
Our living environments must evolve to become allies of our health. “We will be healthier if we drink clean water and breathe clean air. Human health depends on the health of our planet,” reminds Blandine Mellouet Fort, a public health physician. However, due to modern lifestyles, humans are increasingly disconnected from nature, and their activities are impacting the health of all living beings.
The growing amount of time spent in front of screens also has harmful effects: according to Raphaël Amar from Zeiss, by 2050, 50% of the global population will be myopic, with an increased risk of eye diseases. Far from being anecdotal, these developments raise a crucial question: how can we create environments that are more supportive of health?
Changing Our Practices and Lifestyles
It is possible to take action differently by introducing concrete measures from early childhood: raising awareness about nutrition, incorporating 30 minutes of daily physical activity at school, ensuring transparency about food through the Nutri-Score, limiting advertising for unhealthy products, and introducing “green prescriptions” that promote greater exposure to nature.
There is an urgent need to encourage initiatives such as outdoor classes and the greening of schoolyards. These changes require greater collaboration between ministries. “We need a comprehensive approach, where each ministry plays its part so that health is no longer a siloed domain, but a collective priority,” emphasizes Professor Nizri.
